Flying Squirrels Split

Funnville – The Flying Squirrels (31-28) and Harrisburg Senators (30-30) each took home one win in Saturday’s doubleheader at The Diamond. Richmond blanked the Senators 3-0 in the first contest in front of 8,311 fans, while Harrisburg held on for a 3-2 victory in extra innings of game two. The two teams wrap the series on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m., with a Funnville Youth Jersey Giveaway (1,st 1,000 fans 14 & under) presented by Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Tickets and promotional information can be found here.

Game One

Richmond spot starter Jack McCasland guided the Flying Squirrels in a 3-0 shutout in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader against Harrisburg. McCasland shut down the Senators over five innings, earning his first Double-A win. The righty allowed just three hits, struck out one and did not walk a batter in the win.

The Flying Squirrel offensive attack continued Saturday in game one after having collected 13 hits on Friday. The Squirrels opened a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with Luigi Rodriguez beginning the frame with a line drive base hit into right field. Harrisburg’s starting pitcher Jaron Long managed to retire the next two batters, before Dylan Davis pushed a base hit into right field for the early 1-0 lead.

Richmond racked up four more hits in the third inning, moving into a 3-0 advantage. Miguel Gomez led off the inning by launching his second home run of the season over the right field fence. With one out, Dylan Davis roped a double into right center field and Jonah Arenado eventually brought him in with an RBI single into left field.

Jake McCasland shined in the spot start for the Flying Squirrels and handed the ball to Patrick Ruotolo in the sixth inning. Ruotolo carried on the shutout, blanking the Senators in the sixth inning and retired the first two batters in the seventh. Ruotolo reached a 3-2 count with two outs in the seventh against Hunter Jones, but missed on his last pitch, putting Jones aboard. The Squirrels then summoned Caleb Simpson for the final out. Simpson retired Matt Reistetter, ending the game and earning his 10th save of the year.

McCasland was nearly untouchable in after he allowed a game-opening double. He retired the next three hitters on nine pitches. McCasland picked up three groundball outs to end the second and retired the side in order again in the third.

Game Two

The tail end of Saturday’s double dip featured a pair of excellent pitching performances, leading to an extra inning affair. Flying Squirrels hurler Shaun Anderson cruised through the early innings, facing the minimum in the first two frames. Hunter Jones began the game by reaching on an infield hit, however, Anderson induced a double play, negating the single. Anderson needed just 50 pitches over the first four innings.

The game remained scoreless as the Flying Squirrels offense was also stymied by Harrisburg right-hander Jefry Rodriguez. The promising righty allowed just one hit over five innings in the effort. Richmond’s lone hit was a Jerry Sands single in the second inning.

Despite their fine performances, both Anderson and Rodriguez received no-decisions. Anderson worked around a bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth inning to end his outing while Rodriguez glided by in a five-inning performance.

The two teams remained without a run through in regulation (seven innings). Dillon McNamara replaced Anderson seventh inning and stayed on for the extra frame in the eighth. Starting the inning with the gifted runner on second base, Austin Davidson ripped a one-out single for a 1-0 lead. After McNamara struck out Dan Gamache, Taylor Gushue rocked a double out to right field to make it a 2-0 contest. Adam Brett Walked added a run on a base hit and the Squirrels were trailing 3-0 entering the bottom of the extra inning frame.

The Squirrels did not go quietly in the home half of the eighth, plating two and bringing the winning run to the plate in Jerry Sands. Sands blasted a fly ball to deep centerfield but Hunter jones leapt into the air, snagged the ball on the fly at the top of the wall to end the game.

McNamara (1-2) suffered the loss and tossed a pair of innings in the nightcap. Harrisburg reliever Roman Mendez earned the win with a pair of scoreless frames.

The Flying Squirrels homestand continues Sunday with the series finale against the Harrisburg Senators. RHP Jordan Johnson (5-5, 4.32) makes the start for Richmond, squaring off against Senators RHP Brady Dragmire (5-2, 2.75). Sunday in Funnville includes a Funnville Youth Jersey Giveaway (1,st 1,000 fans 14 & under) presented by Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Tickets can be purchased online or over the phone by contacting the box office at 804-359-FUNN.

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About Brian Snow

A south sider born and raised, Brian fashions his play-by-play style after legends like Jim Durham, Wayne Larrivee, Vin Scully, John Rooney, and others. He's still finding his writing style and his sports talk style is becoming all his own.